Star Wars-Dark Vengeance
by SykoBeevr
Summary: It's 1,000 years after Return of the Jedi. If you like status quo Star Wars, with no galaxy-shattering changes, this is Not the story for you.
1. No title

This was an idea I got a while ago. I have no idea how long it'll turn out to be, or how long it'll take me to write the individual chapters, so bear with me as there will probably be somewhat large gaps between updates. (I also have a fair number of other ideas floating around my head.) The chapters also may not be all that long. And as with my first Resident Evil fanfic, I intend to thoroughly screw with the characters and galaxy. You've been warned.

It was a long-forgotten place, orbiting a wretched blotch of sludge that passed for a planet. Nar Shaddaa, the Smuggler's Moon, or at least it used to be. Republic law had long since ended the existence of the large criminal organizations that found the place useful. Thus, the moon had been abandoned by all but the utterly hopeless of society's outcasts. It did have other uses, however. Pilots from around the galaxies would come to test their mettle against the artificial canyons and mazes that had been thrust up from the surface. Racing through at reckless speeds, the best earned no small amount of pride, the rest were lucky if they survived. Wrecked hulls of fighters, transports, and other small craft were frequently seen embedded in buildings.

All of this flashed through the mind of the individual standing on a fairly large platform that extended into open air. Inside his armor, he glanced at a chronometer display. _They're late. Must be a family thing. _The armor he wore was found in the possession of Jedi, Republic Security Force members, and an extremely small number of lucky bounty hunters or criminals. A small, badge-like unit was placed on the owner's chest. A DNA scanner read the genetic code of the user's thumb. If it scanned wrong, a non-lethal shock of power would surge out. If correct, a near-impenetrable armor spread across the entire body, save the tip of the thumb. The armor sported low-grade blasters, weakened in compliance with the Republic's weapons laws, and a space to hold a lightsaber or similar sized device.

_Where are they? I want to get this mission over with. _Then, at last, he heard the sound of Republic fighters. With a smile, he activated his weapons.

Neca Kre'na sat in his fighter's cockpit. A resident of the "Beta" galaxy after the Intergalactic War, he and his sister had been found and trained by the Jedi Master Gred. "Transfer some energy from shields to engines. Don't want Trasae to get too far ahead." He could feel the ship responding. The fighters were partly biological and connected directly to the pilots' minds. Neca could have simply thought the command, but speaking it helped him differentiate between himself and the fighter. He could lose himself in the Force, not some machine. 

Soaring between buildings, he barely saw the flash of light that lanced out from a structure towards Trasae's fighter. The laser blast pierced a wing, and impacted on the hull. His ship brought up a display, knowing he would be concerned, and he saw that she was in really big trouble. Trasae ejected, her seat flying into the air moments before the craft slammed into a building and exploded. Neca sighed with relief. At least it had only been the fighter. Then the ejection seat lost power and plummeted towards the surface, far below. Trasae managed to free herself and used the Force to levitate. 

Neca brought his fighter over to her and she rested down on its wing. Slowly, with the utmost care, he brought the fighter to where his sensors picked up a smallish power signal. He brought his weapons in line with the armored figure. The lasers were just enough to help bring a ship's shields down, but that was still more than enough to vaporize most living things. He was about to fire when the attacker deactivated his armor, revealing familiar features.

"Ran'sot?" the shock in Trasae's voice matched Neca's fury.

In seconds he was standing in the cockpit, his armor and personal weapons activated. "What do you think you're doing?" He started shouting curses in his native language.

Horrified surprise flashed across the human's features. "I have no idea what happened. I set them just to register as hits, not do damage. Certainly not to do that much damage."

"Neca," Trasae had calmed greatly, "The _Trainer I_ must be on the other side of the building. Take your fighter around and dock, we'll meet you there." She jumped off the wing to the platform. The fighter roared off, leaving the two alone. "I'm sorry about Neca." Though she knew she probably could not change it, her friend and her brother had a growing rivalry. They tried to restrain themselves for her sake, she knew, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

As they walked through a twisting corridor, Ran'sot Solo stopped and looked at her. From the moment he had met her, he thought she was the single most incredible person he'd known. Certainly she was attractive, but there was more to it. She was kind and gentle, yet strong, caring and fiercely loyal. And she did not seem to care that he was the last member of the legendary Skywalker/Solo line, being the descendent of Anakin Solo. He looked directly into her reddish eyes. _You know what I would say. And you know I can't. Not yet._

They walked on in silence, knowing that the right time would come.

***

Towards the edge of the "Alpha" galaxy, in what had once been known as the "Unknown Regions" rested the planet Sentak. The one-time backwater world had since become the capitol world of the expanded Republic. Having pushed into the area between galaxies, Republic diplomats utilized new hyperspace technology to reach and penetrate the boundaries of a nearby galaxy. They were met with mixed feelings. Some welcomed them and joined the Republic, others wanted the "invaders" destroyed. There was also another reason for the move. Coruscant was no longer habitable. The constant development into and up from the surface had made the entire planet unstable. Thus Sentak, while impressive, was slightly less developed. The cities were not all-encompassing as Coruscant's had been, and only leaders and society's more wealthy members made it their home.

On this world stood the towering structure where the Jedi trained, and the Jedi Council operated. In the upper levels of this building, Jedi Master Gred talked with Senator Trepix Farthay. 

"Those fools are going to ruin the Republic. They cannot see that recent events are a signal of danger. The increase in crime and terrorism can only do us harm, and they treat it like nothing."

"Calm yourself, Senator. If there were a true danger to our peace, I am certain that we would have sensed as much."

"Even the Force cannot sense everything."

"Perhaps."

"Anyway, how are your students doing. Are they around?"

"No, I have sent them off on a training mission to see how they operate under only their own supervision. They should be returning shortly, however." Gred had been given the honor of training Ran'sot Solo as well as the Kre'na twins. Neca had always been the stronger of the siblings, but he felt that Trasae would play a pivotal role in the galaxies, though how and when he could not tell. Time, and the Force would reveal the truth.

* * *

Neca sat in the room assigned to him on the _Trainer I_. He sat in total silence and concentration, focusing on the Force. He let himself go, sensing his connection to the Force as if floating in a large, warm ocean. He felt is awareness spread throughout the galaxy, as if he could take each star, each planet in his ethereal hands. He seemed to soar through known space. For a moment, he felt a cold darkness, then it was gone. He tried to find it again, but he had been shaken, and it eluded him. 

With an almost painful suddenness, a drop of blood fell to the Core Worlds. The blood hit a planet and burst into dark, unnatural flame. The inferno grew sporadically, bursting up at seemingly random points, engulfing the galaxies. The brightest of flares arose from one accursed planet in the Alpha galaxy. He tried to identify the world, but the flame burned at his eyes, his mind…

The knocking completely disrupted his concentration, jarring him out of his vision. 

"What is it?" he grumbled.

The door molded open, and Ran'sot appeared. "We've arrived. We'll be disembarking soon," he paused. "Look, Neca, maybe-"

With a glare, Neca focused enough Force energy to throw the human to the opposite wall. Ran'sot got up, and a small disk dropped from wrist to palm. Almost instantly, the device grew and molded into a lightsaber. He switched to an attack stance, and froze, knowing they were making a mistake. _We both let our anger get the best of us. Almost. But what about next time? _He compacted his weapon and walked off. Around a nearby corner, Trasae shuddered. 


	2. No Title

The trio of students emerged from their ship, and Gred could very nearly feel the tension. The two males glared at each other, Trasae trying to mask her anxiety. "Welcome back, my students," the wizened being said, "How did things go?"

"Solo nearly killed Trasae!" Neca growled.

"I told you, it was an accident, I have no idea what happened."

"You're lying."

"Silence! Both of you. Do not let your anger control you."

"Don't speak to us of the Dark Side, Master," Neca returned, "We've heard it all before. Besides, there is already a great darkness coming. I've felt it. The power of the Dark Side is rising again."

"Don't be foolish, child. The Masters would know if there was a resurgence of dark power."

"You are the fools! You're old, weak, and complacent. You will all be destroyed." With that, Neca stormed off into a passing crowd.

Outraged, Ran'sot went off in the opposite direction.

"Master…"

"Do not worry, Trasae. They will find their way to a sense of peace. We need only to give them time."

"Yes, Master."

"Now come, I want you to accompany me to an important meeting. It will serve you well to learn the workings of the Republic."

At that, she finally glanced over to Sentak's primary attraction. Needing to hold representatives from both galaxies, the Senate building was the single largest structure on the planet. The spheroid building looked as if a small moon had come to a gentle rest on the planet. The main Senate chamber took up a fair percentage, in addition to smaller meeting rooms, and quarters for the Senators, their aides, and at times families. The Jedi got into a small speeder and were off to the massive thing.

Minutes later, they entered a long, moderately decorated room. Its main feature was a long, low, pseudo-wooden table. Around the table sat the more influential Senators, including Trepik Forthay, and the Chief of State. 

"Welcome, trusted Jedi. It is good to see you and your apprentice. But where are the others?"

"They are dealing with personal matters at the moment."

"Ah well, let us begin."

The meeting started, and Trasae was once again struck with the pure egotism of the Primary Council and the Senate as a whole. _How can so few decide what is best for so many?_

"…And what of the increase in criminal activities?"

"I have a proposition for the Council on that matter," Forthay stood as he spoke.

"Proceed, Senator."

"I would be willing to use my own private funds to develop a specially focused task force dedicated to wiping out the few remaining criminal organizations. With their removal, the RSF will have an easier time of cleaning up the smaller disturbances."

"The idea has some merit. Let's have a vote. In favor?" Around the table, hands went up. With a relatively small group, advanced technology was unnecessary. "Opposed?" a noticeably smaller number of hands went up. "Very well. You are free to begin at your earliest convenience. 

"Thank you, sir." He smiled.

After the meeting, Trasae and Gred returned to the Jedi Temple. Trasae sat in her quarters, deep in thought. She was worried about Ran'sot and Neca. The strenuous day weighed down on her, and she fell asleep.

***

Near a tourist center on Sentak sat a small shop owned by an otherwise unknown Bothan. He had tried to make a living out of politics, but had failed miserably. Without enough credits to return to Bothawui, he'd been reduced to selling souvenirs. He wished that just once, something important would happen to him. Looking out a window, he saw a group of Ewoks.

_Wretched things, _he thought, _If not for Republic researchers, they would not be off Endor, much less able to understand Basic or use modern weapons. _Startled, he noticed they were headed for his shop. Entering, they glared at him.

"What do you want, vermin?"

The leader smiled almost wickedly. With an ear-shattering cry, the Ewoks raised their ceremonial spears and, standing in a circle, touched the tips together. The contact set off a bioelectrical spark, which coursed down the wooden shafts, through their hands, and to the contents of the packs they carried.

Neca winced instinctively as the massive explosion rocked the surrounding area. In a moment, he was off through a crowd, armor and lightsaber active. He used the Force to allow his body to leap over and speed through the masses of people in his way. Arriving at the site, he found the small group of Ewoks left outside as guards. Seeing the Jedi, they yelled and charged him. Neca sensed that there was something deeper wrong with them besides mere interspecies rivalry. It was if the rising darkness had driven them mad. 

They were less than a meter away and Neca moved in with his blade. The Ewoks fell in a mass of scorched fur and flesh, pieces falling in chaotic piles. Soon after, RSF officers arrived on the scene, and stood in shock. "You, stop now! We need them for questioning!" The lead officer raised his stun rifle. The Jedi glanced at them, and disappeared from view.

Neca ran off to get his fighter. Altering others' perceptions was still difficult, so as soon as he deactivated his armor, he relaxed his focus on the Force. Startled civilians stared at him, but he continued on, unhindered.

* * *

The _Trainer I_ dropped out of hyperspace in a random system. Ran'sot had been plotting courses spontaneously for hours in an attempt to relax. The control visor registered one average-sized planet within reasonable range. Nearby was a swirling cloud of unknown objects. _Identify objects in grid sector A-21._ The display came up almost instantly.

// Objects are various starships. 53 fighter craft, 18 capital ships. Both counts decreasing. //

_Identify affiliations._

// Fighters-21 Hutt (decreasing), 32-Unknown. Capital ships-6 Hutt (decreasing), 12-Unknown. //

_Take us there._

Within minutes, _Trainer I_ was in visual range. In that time, the unidentified ships had completely wiped out the Hutt forces. _What am I dealing with here?_

// Unknown. //

_I didn't ask you._

"Unidentified ships, this is Jedi Ran'sot Solo, state your business and affiliation."

Without reply, the ships opened fire.

"Evasive, take control, combat action Aleph. I'm going to my fighter." The ship used its extra available power to strengthen the shields beyond standard levels. Hidden panels opened up, revealing ion cannon batteries and launch tube for ionpulse warheads. The now well-armed ship dove into the fray as Ran'sot jumped into his fighter. The cockpit molded closed and the various nodes and connectors reached out for him. A section of the larger ship went transparent, then folded away. 

The fighter shot out into the storm of light and machinery. With subtle manipulation of the controls, Ran'sot sent it into a series of spins, dives, climbs, and rolls, using the Force as his guide. On the sensor display, several fighters stopped dead. Weaving through the dance of chaos, the human checked _Trainer I's_ progress. It had disabled several enemy ships, but was taking heavy damage from what appeared to be full-force turbolasers and a type of warhead he'd never seen. _This isn't good._ His own shields were close to failing. He was obviously overwhelmed.

_Trainer, come around to point one-nine mark three._

// Complying. //

_I'm sorry, friend, I have to leave you here._

// Very well. //

He came in front of the _Trainer_ and used it to shield his escape. The larger ship took an incredible beating as he plotted another random course. The fighter shot off into hyperspace, and the _Trainer_ vanished in a rage of light and heat.

The bridge of the attacking force's flagship was alive with the flurry of rushing crewmen.

"The big ship was destroyed, sir," one man said, "But sensors seem to indicate the fighter escaped."

"What?" The captain spun, blaster in hand, and fired at the one giving the report. A clean hole appeared in his forehead, and a splotch of red splashed against the far wall. "Keep in mind, people, a Jedi now knows the existence of the Abyss. The boss will not be happy."


	3. No Title

A lone Republic starfighter dropped out of hyperspace in a dead system. _Bring up a sensor reading,_ the armor-encased being thought. The display showed that the only ships in the vicinity were wreckage, long since forgotten. _But there's something strange about that planet. Something familiar._ He had the ship do a scan of the surrounding constellations and compare the view to all known systems.

// Match found. //

_Display._

// Coruscant. //

"Coruscant? No wonder. I thought I recognized it from a history lesson or something."

Curiosity overcame him, and he brought the ship to the atmosphere, past the dead Golan stations. Staring in awe at the ancient city, he had to wonder why the Republic had abandoned it. Just then, an earthquake rocked a section of the city, a pillar of fire erupting like a volcano. _That answers that. Maybe I should forget about this._ A flash of realization streaked through him from the Force. _Have to be here…have to find…_

There!

Among a fair amount of wreckage stood the former Imperial Palace. _It's beautiful!_ Gazing over the magnificent structure, he felt drawn to a particular landing platform. He gently brought his fighter to a rest. The connections and cockpit covering withdrew. He followed a mental tugging from the Force into the magnificent building and up a large number of floors.

As he walked through a carpeted hallway, another quake shook the area. He stumbled into the wall, and then _through_ it. Surprised, he fell on his face in a small, hidden room. The alcove was pitch black. _Light enhance._ The built-in vision functions kicked in, allowing him to see as he picked himself up. The blank room had only a wooden shelf holding an ancient book that had to be millennia old. Curiously, he picked it up and flipped to what seemed to be the briefest passage. _Translate. _In his view, modern Basic was embedded over the ancient text.

_This is a history of the Sith. What follows can lead to the greatest power imaginable. In ancient times, a small number of Jedi discovered a new power. They tried to share their Force-given knowledge with their brothers, but the Republic and the Masters rejected them. They were driven out and forced into exile in unexplored regions of the galaxy._

The wandering Jedi found a race known as the Sith. Seeing the great power of the Jedi, the Sith became their willing servants. After centuries of prosperity with the new government, Lord Naga Sadow felt it was time to attempt a reintegration into the Republic. Once again, the old Jedi and their masters proved their treacherous natured. The Sith were once again driven out and the treasonous Lord Ludo Kressh forced Lord Sadow into exile on the remote moon, Yavin 4. 

In time, the Sith were wiped out, but their legacy lived on. The curious Jedi Exar Kun found ancient teachings, and reestablished the order, with Ulic Qel-Droma as his apprentice. Eventually, Qel-Droma betrayed Kun and the Republic destroyed him.

Still later, another Jedi happened across the ancient power. Due to the oppressive Republic and treachery from within, the Sith were again destroyed. All except one who called himself Darth Bane. // End text. //

"Darth Bane…" He lost himself in thought. _The Republic, they are the true evil. That's why…It is a blight on this universe. Now I will be its Blight, its downfall. _Darth Blight stood to leave.

He was almost knocked to his knees by the largest quake yet. He quickly dove out of the hidden room, right before it collapsed in on itself. _No, the book!_ Then his gaze was drawn to the large pane of transparisteel and the end of the hall and beyond. The quakes continued, buildings toppled, pillars of fire belched up from the surface, engulfing ancient walkways, speeders, and droids. He could feel the beginning of the Palace's collapse. The ceiling began to cave in. He had no choice. 

He drew his lightsaber, the shimmering white-ish blade humming. He charged the transparisteel at a sprint. The combination of a push from the Force and slashes from his weapon shattered the material. He saw his ship below and leapt out, using the Force to levitate himself. He allowed a quick descent, but not too speedily. Sections of the huge building shattered. A chunk of debris hit him full on and he fell into unconsciousness.

The fighter rose on its own, using its partial control of its systems to maneuver. Blight dropped into the cockpit and it shot off. It knew the planet was too unstable. It had to escape immediately. The fighter raced to be free of the gravitational pull. The planet exploded. The shockwave tossed the ship like a toy. Heavily damaged, it transferred all energy to pilot life support and the hyperdrive. Plotting a random course, and hoping a gravity well would stop it, it jumped. Then, as all must, it died. 

***

Trasae sat in the Great Library in the Jedi Temple. She had come to meditate, but had begun to wander. She stopped when she came across an old Holocron. She took it to a privacy station and turned it on. From the glass-like cube arose a ghostly image of a human. He seemed…not old, but weathered, worn. Definitely wizened beyond his years.

"Greetings, Jedi," he said. His voice was calm, fairly quiet, yet powerful. "I am Luke Skywalker, first of the new order." So this was Skywalker! The legendary Jedi Master!

"Hello, Master Skywalker. I was wondering," she paused, "The Republic is at peace, but I worry that it may not last." She did not know if it understood her, but it responded, regardless.

"I had a vision once. It began with a lone Jedi on a dark, harsh world. I could not determine what race the Jedi belonged to, but I did sense he had suffered a great loss. Then I saw a great city in ruins and a dark figure on the bridge of a huge battle ship. 'The Dark Side is always with you', he said. I fear for the Republic. Be wary." The image vanished.

_What could that mean?_ She suddenly felt a great sense of dread. "Ran'sot!"


	4. No title

Brief note: this is one of the chapters that is more likely to piss people off. If you review it, please give an honest opinion, but nothing super derogatory, please. I like the ego boosts that the reviews up till now have provided. =-)

Traveling between galaxies was once considered an impossibility. Now it was rather commonplace. _Then again, _thought Senator Forthay, _travel between planets was long ago considered a ridiculous proposition. It makes no difference what the people think. What matters is that someone must rise to show them the way. _He watched with half interest as a news report came over the Holonet.

"In response to the increase in violent crimes, the Republic's Primary Council has announced that they intend to increase the pressure on the remaining crime lords in an attempt to bring them down for good. However, rumor has it that there is a rapidly growing upstart organization that is absorbing the others before the Republic can shut them down. What this supposed mystery group intends remains to be seen."

"Sir?" the pilot's voice came through to the passenger area, "We will be entering the Beta galaxy soon. You can make contact with the Narjith ambassador as soon afterwards as you want."

"Thank you, captain." The Narjith Empire had been the Republic's greatest opposition during the Galactic Crossover and the enemy in the Intergalactic War. Senator Forthay had made it a point to open up negotiations with them. To his benefit, the ever-trusting Chief of State had given him full control over how when and where the negotiations would take place and what would be discussed. He did not want to think of the Chief of State as foolish, but in more and more situations, that seemed to be the case. 

"Uh, sir, it would seem they were waiting for us."

Part of the hull to his right went transparent. Outside, he saw the large Narjith diplomatic ship. It was mildly impressive; elliptical with two fin-like protrusions near the back, and a conical extension straight down from the bottom, the entire ship a nearly black shade of gray. He was not sure of their armaments, but felt sure that his always in place back up could easily overpower them if necessary.

"Welcome, Senator," came the audio-only transmission. No one in the Republic had ever actually seen a Narjith. The race always used representatives from other species under their control, even in battle.

"Thank you, Ambassador. I am grateful that you agreed to talk with me. Despite the peace, we have still had minor disputes and border skirmishes. The Republic wishes to settle all conflicts and come to a mutually favorable agreement."

"I am told, Senator that you are conducting these negotiations of your own accord. So the question becomes, not what the Republic wishes, but what do you wish?"

Forthay smiled. "Well, putting it that way does change things a bit then, does it not?"

"I would imagine so."

"In that case, I do believe I require some assistance from you."

* * *

Darth Blight awoke in the cockpit of his dead ship in a system he did not recognize. With the purely mechanical systems still somewhat operational, he could gather basic information on the system, but still knew nothing important about it. All he really knew was that he was too close to the nearby gas giant's moon, and was being pulled into the atmosphere.

He tried to bring all systems online, only to discover the death of the biological units. The ship entered the atmosphere of the jungle-covered moon. He tried the ejection controls, but they were not operating. The surface rushed ever closer. He felt panic, fear. _I can't die now! This can't be happening!_

"No!" The unleashing of his frustration fueled his strength in the Force. The ship was torn apart, and Blight dropped the few remaining meters into the trees, hitting branches and trunks, finally slamming into the ground. He moaned in pain and blacked out. In his mind, he heard a voice calling him.

_Blight. Come here, Blight._

How do you know me?

I have been in your mind. We need each other. Come to me.

Slowly, he regained consciousness. Ignoring the lingering pain, he got up and walked in what felt like the right direction. After a time, he came to a massive pyramidal structure. He hesitantly entered, wandering through the empty, echoing stone halls. He found his way to what seemed to be a huge reception hall. It was adorned with remotely familiar banners and an echoing in the Force. 

_Rebel…Alliance…Death Star…Jedi…Yavin! This is Yavin 4!_

"Very good, Blight. You are observant."

He jumped at the voice and spun, looking for its source. Surprised, he saw what seemed to be a living shadow seeping out from between cracks in the walls. Once entirely in the room, it took on the form of a man dressed in a dark cloak, with fairly long, black hair. The image of the man shimmered and wavered, like a pool of water. Despite the distorted image, Blight thought he could see a trio of scars running along his cheek. 

"Are you a spirit?"

"Perceptive of you."

"Why contact me?"

"The Force brought you here. You need a teacher, and I need something I believe you can obtain for me."

"What do you want?"

"We will get around to that. First there are some smaller things I want you to take care of. And of course I will train you."

"How?"

"I will instruct you in the ways of the Sith so that together we may remove the plagues that are the Jedi and Republic."

"But how will you teach me?"

"I know more than you can imagine. I lived a strong, knowledgeable life, and have spent over five thousand years in my current state. I have spent whole millennia in study of the Force and have become more powerful than any of you Jedi Masters. With you at my side, we will easily overthrow them. And if all goes well, I will shortly retrieve myself from this form, and you will help me. But first, I require your assistance. I need you to restore an important structure here that was destroyed long ago. This can be your first training assignment. It may seem simple, I admit, but it will need physical labor, hence my inability to do it myself."

"Very well, Master."

"Good, already in your role. I do believe I will enjoy this."

"Where is this structure Master?"

"Not too far from here. Sense its power in the Force, and locate it. You will find a body of water with a small island and a mass of solidified molten obsidian."

"Yes Master."

"You seem very accepting, Blight. Do you have any questions?"

"There is one, Master."

"Proceed."

"Through the Force, I know it is not truly relevant, but…who are you?"

The spirit smiled. "I was once a great man, and with your help, will be once again. I changed history, and affected the galaxy more times than most others even hope to. As for my name…" the smile grew a bit more, "I am called Exar Kun."


	5. No title

A moment to explain my reasoning: Exar Kun is my 2nd favorite character in anything, right behind Boba Fett. Thus I thought it appropriate that he be influential in the Sith uprising I am obviously writing about. I apologize to those who may not like this for whatever reasons, but I couldn't help myself (and didn't have any better ideas, besides, it plays out nicely.) Fear not, though, my main focus still is and will be Ran'sot, Neca, and Trasae. Kun may have the most overall influence, but it is not his story. (And you will see Fett's impact on my thought patterns in a continuance of this time period.) Onward…

"Exar Kun? But how? How are you still alive?"

Kun laughed. "If you must know, I suppose I'll explain. When Ulic Qel-Droma betrayed me, my Massassi followers offered their life force in a process that kept my spirit alive, yet attached to this moon. One thousand years ago, Luke Skywalker set up a 'Jedi Academy'. I felt obligated to prevent the formation of another oppressive Jedi order, and took steps to do so. Unfortunately, I underestimated them, and found I could not accomplish my goal at that time. From venturing into the mind of one calling himself Keiran Halcyon, the man really called Corran Horn who was pivotal in the destruction of Ithor, I discovered that Skywalker's students had laid a trap for me. 

Using the Sith power of illusion, I projected an image of myself into their minds. As I was about to 'die', I projected an image of my old Master for effect. Then I hid myself from them, as the Sith were often forced to do, and returned my focus to growing stronger."

"Brilliant, Master."

"Thank you, Blight. Now then, off with you. You have work to do."

"Of course, Master."

Kun's spirit vanished. _At last, _thought Blight, _I have someone to teach me the true power of the Force. _He smiled. _Soon the Republic will pay for its oppression._

Hours later, Exar Kun appeared in front of his newly rebuilt temple. The black structure once again stood supporting a statue of himself. Blight stood staring, still encased in his armor. _He wished to remain unknown. But the fool does not realize that I already know his secret._ "Well done, my apprentice." Blight turned and nodded his thanks. "I have another test for you. I want you to go to Kessel."

"Kessel? Why?"

"There you will find a test of your skills, and of your loyalty to me, as well as my new body. I have a ship for you. Go as soon as you are able."

"Immediately, my lord."

"And remember to follow your emotions. Let the Force act through your aggressive nature."

"Yes, Master."

Kun again smiled and vanished.

* * *

"Master Gred!" Trasae burst into the room.

"Calm yourself, child. What is it?"

"I was studying in the Great Library when I felt something horrible. I am afraid Ran'sot may be in terrible trouble.

The old Master concentrated. "I sense nothing about Ran'sot."

"Please Master, you must believe me!"

"Trasae, rest for a while. You are under a lot of stress."

Trasae became outraged. She stormed out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Gred called.

"Kessel!"

***

The Primary Council sat in meeting. "Due to the absence of Senator Forthay," the Chief of State began, "we can have no reports of his various efforts. However-" He was interrupted as an emergency transmission came through. Senator Forthay appeared in the highly distorted image. 

"In…danger…Narjith…pilot dead…I…not survive…never…in…can't…let…"

"Senator!"

The image died, and the voice of the Narjith ambassador came over the audio system. "As of this moment, the Narjith Empire declares war on the Republic. You have twenty-four hours to surrender before we begin attacking systems associated with the Republic. If you do not comply, we will destroy you."

The Council members sat stunned.

In his undamaged ship, Senator Forthay resumed his conversation with the Narjith ambassador. "Very well done, Ambassador."

"You were quite convincing, Senator."

"Well, my pilot _is _dead. The rest was not difficult. Such acts are a necessity in my line of work. For the time being, I will need haven on one of your more obscure worlds. Being dead, it would not be favorable for my plans to be found alive and well."

"It can be arranged. We will transmit the coordinates to you. Follow us."

"Thank you."

***

In the depths of Kessel's long-abandoned spice mines walked a lone Jedi. He did not know why he was there, just that the Force had led him. And so, he waited. He was getting bored and impatient, but he waited. _What could be so important in this old place?_ At that point, he felt a pair of very familiar "ripples" in the Force. Their presence sent waves through the energy field that were so distinctive, he had no trouble recognizing them. 

_It's Trasae! And…oh no. _With the sudden recognition, he knew what was to come. _No. Trasae, I'm sorry._

***

Trasae's fighter dropped out of hyperspace about the time as another small ship. Its markings were nowhere on Republic records, neither was the exact design. 

"Other ship, this is Trasae Kre'na. Please identify yourself."

"Meet me on-planet, Trasae. In the spice mines." The voice was too heavily distorted to recognize.

"Very well," she said hesitantly. The other ship accelerated incredibly towards the planet. She knew she had no chance of catching it before it landed.

***

The lone, wandering Jedi sprinted through the spice mines, retracing his path. Finally emerging into an endless near night, being that Kessel's sun was close to death, he saw the landing lights of a ship. He used the Force to fuel his speed even further. Before he could reach the landing point, a wave of Force energy tossed him several meters into the air. A lightsaber ignited, piercing the night. He glared over at the Jedi. "Who are you?"

"I am Darth Blight, the first of the new Sith."

"Sith? So the Dark Side was rising."

"The only darkness is the Republic." With that, he allowed the Jedi to plummet. The Jedi had to levitate himself, but it was not one of his strengths. He seemed to stumble through the air. The Sith joined him in the air, calling up a windstorm and slashing with his blade. The Jedi parried, just barely, with his sulfur-colored weapon. The Sith struck hard, forcing the Jedi's blade arm wide and away. Almost instantly, the whitish blade was thrust in that direction, flying straight through the hilt of the Jedi's saber. The yellow energy flickered and died.

Masked by his armor, the Sith glared, focused on the Jedi's tumultuous mind. The Jedi's hand came up to his chest, and with a drowned out rush of sound, his armor swiftly seceded. Ran'sot Solo gagged as he was exposed to the oxygen deprived atmosphere, and swirling dust and dirt. His body went limp, and his eyes rolled back as he finished dropping to the ground. The Sith followed Ran'sot down, pleased with himself. He crouched next to Solo's lifeless body.

"Master Kun will be pleased."

"Ran'sot!" He spun to see Trasae running towards them. He rose as he deactivated his armor. Unlike humans, his people's lungs could hold almost a day's worth of air. "Neca! What…" Neca saw as she realized the truth of the situation. "Why?"

"My Master needs him. I do not want to hurt you, Trasae. Not when you can be turned from the darkness. I was foolish and impatient before."

"What do you…It was you? You changed Ran'sot's weapon strength on Nar Shaddaa?" He merely nodded. "Why did you do it?"

"You are possessed by the darkness of the Republic. Please, come with me. Learn from my Master. Learn from the Sith." Trasae could only stare in horror.

"Very well. I need to be going. I will _not_ hold responsibility for your death!"

She wanted to stop her brother, wanted to act, yet she found herself unable to move. Minutes later, still standing there, she heard Neca's ship take off.

_Ran'sot…_


	6. No title

Sorry about the long wait

Sorry about the long wait. Been a lot to do lately. Onward and offward…

In the bowels of the Abyss flagship _Void_, Commander Srik Forr sat in his quarters, going over the details of the most recent takeover. For the last several years, he'd been carrying out missions to gain power for the organization. Slowly, they had absorbed the smaller groups, and finally had moved on to the few large ones left. The recent Hutt takeover had been a huge step. 

_The boss sees us as heirs to the Black Sun organization from way back. They're so far in the past, I don't care. Love the job, though._

A quiet tone sounded and a nearby bulkhead faded to transparency, revealing a comm terminal. Pressing a hand to the wall initiated a DNA scan. A moment later, he was in the small alcove. The boss's image formed in front of him. 

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"Just wanted to let you know that I may be out of touch for a while. Circumstances dictate that I keep a low profile for now. However, the operation must continue, so I will leave the specifics to you for now."

"Thank you, sir."

"Don't disappoint me, Srik. My source of inspiration, Prince Xizor was ruthless, but I have resources he did not."

"I understand."

"Good. I will contact you as soon as possible."

***

Aboard the ship, _Sith's Wrath_, Darth Blight stared at the inert Ran'sot Solo. Attached to a series of small machines, the Jedi was barely alive. "Don't think I'm keeping you alive for you or Trasae," he said quitely, "I just wanted Master Kun to have the honor of killing you. I am sure you will serve him well, old friend." 

Ran'sot moaned slightly, as if trying to respond.

Neca returned to the cockpit of the smallish craft, hoping to meditate for the remaining hours of the trip. Thoughts of Trasae plagued his mind, shattering his concentration. He did not know why his sister kept so occupied him-he certainly had no intention of thinking about her. He decided to go into one of the empty storage spaces in the _Wrath_ to practice his lightsaber techniques. Images of his sister's smiling face shook him. 

Several hours later, the _Wrath_ landed in a clearing near Yavin 4's Great Temple. Blight pulled the hoverbed with Ran'sot's body to where Kun's spirit waited. 

"Welcome back, apprentice. You have done well."

"Thank you, Lord Kun."

"Tell me, why is the Jedi not dead?"

"I only wished for you to deliver the killing blow, my Lord."

The ancient Sith smiled slightly. "How thoughtful of you. I have something painful in mind." The apparition glared down at Ran'sot.

Ran'sot's consciousness floated in the luminosity of his true being. Despite the realization that he was very near death, he enjoyed being so close to the Force. Its light and warmth permeated him. Somewhere distant in the formless realm, he felt an oncoming chill. Something dark.

Neca watched as Kun's spirit touched, and then seemed to melt into Ran'sot's body. Almost instantly, the Jedi began to convulse.

Starting small, the darkness surged forward. He valiantly fought against it but was slowly overwhelmed.

The sky grew dark as a severe storm rolled in. Lightning struck, igniting trees, chipping away stone on the temples. With a sudden ferocity, a stream of energy burst out of Solo's body. Blight recognized the swirling torrent of light and shadow as the spirits of his rival and Master. They were locked in a battle that surpassed the powers of the living. The entire moon seemed effected by their conflict. They twisted and soared through the atmosphere, leaving burnt scars in their wake. Massive earthquakes struck as they pushed into the ground, unhindered by soil or stone. 

A section of ground exploded upwards, throwing Neca off his feet. Debris slammed into Ran'sot's body. Neca used the Force to fling it away, but saw blood dripping from three deep, parallel slashes on the body's cheek. He realized that he too was bleeding, a sharp rock having gouged a painful wound into his arm. He utilized a pain suppression technique, as he stood transfixed by the raging conflict unfolding. To someone blind to the Force, it would have seemed that the two were evenly matched. He knew, however, that Kun was the stronger by far, and Solo was weakening. 

As suddenly as they had come forth, the spirits merged back into Solo's body, which once again went into violent convulsions. Blight lunged over to keep it settled on the hoverbed. After a few moments, the convulsions stopped, and the eyes flickered open. He sat up slowly, looking at his hands, smiling. He examined himself as he stood, and Blight knew what had happened.

"Welcome back, Master Kun."

Kun laughed. "How fortunate. In one move, I free myself from that exile, and remove the last of the blasted Solo bloodline. This certainly is a good day."

"Is there anything I can do for you, Master?"

"Not at the moment, no. Why don't you go into the forest to meditate. See if you can put out those fires, also." 

"As you wish."

Kun watched until Blight vanished into the forest. He took a small container from the hoverbed and collected a small amount of Blight's spilled blood. He would be a greater asset than he'd ever know.

***

The dark void of space enveloped the Republic Defense Cruiser _Vigilant_ as it slowly made its way across its patrol flight path. It tended to be an easy job, but the ship's commander, Thryn Velz found the overall peace enjoyable. Normally. He brought himself out of the oblivious shell he had briefly sealed his mind in as he heard the footsteps of an approaching crewman. 

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Sir, new reports are coming in. Several more worlds in the Beta Galaxy have fallen. The Narjith are sweeping through our forces like they're nothing."

Velz sighed. "Thank you. Dismissed." He sent a mental command to the specialized eyepiece that he wore. Issued to all commanding officers, the device allowed him to sift through the status of and reports from each system and section of the ship. A radar display appeared over his normal field of vision. At the center sat a green representation of the _Vigilant_ orbiting Sentak. A few smaller green and blue images floated about, as well as the orbital defense stations, descendents of the old Golan platforms, and the other RDC's. 

Briefly, he thought the eyepiece was malfunctioning. A quick status check showed everything was in order. _Shavit!_ The mass of red that appeared moments before surged towards the capitol.

"Launch all fighters! The Narjith are--" The attacking force's first volley vaporized the _Vigilant_ in moments. 

Small black fighters engaged the defense stations as dozens of capital ships pounded the planetary shields. Republic fighters launched from scattered positions into the swarm of enemy fighters. The Narjith's fighters consisted of a spherical cockpit with attached engines, like the TIE fighters of old. However, these ships, dubbed "twirls" by Republic pilots, were heavily shielded and had four wings armed with heavy cannons and warhead launchers, which through gravitic manipulation could move to target any direction. 

"Green Squad report in." Green Squadron had launched from station Aleph-3. Seconds after they all sounded off, they'd reached the front of the swarm. "Three Flight, protect Aleph-3, One, Two, we've got Narjith to vape." 

One and Two Flights set into a combat formation, and started with a warhead volley. The ion warheads exploded harmlessly in the Narjith formation. The Flights broke by wing pairs and engaged. Three was caught unawares as a twirl swooped around behind him and easily blew him away. 

"They punched through his shields like nothing!" came Four's panicked voice. 

"Four, go back and help Three Flight."

"As ordered, Lead."

Green Leader looked up as the enemy cruisers began decimating the defense platforms and RDC's. 

On the bridge of the Defense Cruiser _Corellia's Pride_, a Sullustan general watched as they finally brought down the shields on a Narjith Cruiser. Reports of hull breaches plagued his ears. As sad as it was, he knew the _Pride _dead, and the rest of the fleet wasn't faring much better. 

"Ramming speed, helm. Prepare to drop shields on my mark." The _Pride_ soared towards the wounded enemy. He hoped this would work…

One klick distant, he gave the order. Their shields dropped. The Narjith poured weapons energy into them. Hull plating boiled off, then froze in vacuum. Whole sections seemed to explode. Mere meters away, the general ordered the return of the shields, hoping desperately that the generators hadn't been hit. Once back online, the energy sphere encompassed both the _Pride_ and a portion of the enemy ship. With the powerful energy field ending about midway through the Narjith cruiser, the warship was rather effectively cut in half. Unable to escape, the Sullustan watched the portion of inside the shield collide with the bridge. The ship, its design making a nod to the Mon Calamari designs of old, exploded into formless fragments. 

Green Squadron had been cut down into the equivalent of a single flight in minutes. Eight was on a twirl's tail, but the enemy weapons did a sudden 180° turn and reduced the fighter to scrap. Green Lead watched, but never saw the torpedo that plowed into his cockpit from below. 

"Two, take lead, I have your wing," he heard a call from Five.

"Five, plot a course to friendly territory and jump. Recommend Bilbringi or Vortex."

"As ordered."

Two watched for a moment more as the planetary shields started to come down.


	7. No title

Sorry it's been a while

Sorry it's been a while. I decided to post the last few chapters en masse to prevent the story from becoming too drawn out (and I wasn't sure what else to do with it.) Sorry if the chapters seem short at all. And so, the beginning of the end…

It was very dark. Darker than if all the stars in the universe died. Wasn't there light? Or could he just not see it? Something hurt. What was it? Suddenly he remembered things. Sith. Republic. Master. _It hurts! Where is it?!_ He tried to cry out, but could not. His mind. His mind hurt. Just a little. It was making him crazy…

***

The unthinkable had happened. That which had not occurred for almost a thousand years. The Republic was effectively defeated. _Not since the Yuuzhan Vong_, Trasae thought. She and the others being held in the Primary Council chambers spoke quietly to each other. The Narjith attack was so swift and decisive, the Jedi had no time to act. Now, with the enemy fleet poised to destroy the planet, they dared not make a move.

_I have to find Neca! If he really has revived the Sith, then even the Narjith are doomed._ She knew she had to escape, but the remote force fields set in place by the orbiting Narjith held her and the others helpless. _No, wait! _She reached out with the Force to touch the near-consciousness of her fighter. It was a good thing, she thought, that the Narjith were Force-blind. _Though they've never come to the Alpha Galaxy. Neca and I couldn't touch the Force until we got here, not really. I'll just have to hope we're lucky. _She gave the ship its orders, and control of its systems, then stood back and waited.

She only needed to wait for a few minutes. Her Force-enhanced senses heard the distant implosion of the building's outer wall. A series of crashes got closer and closer. Then there was the sound of blaster fire just outside. The politicians hid and cowered. Finally, the room's far wall crumbled. She ran to her fighter, making it just before the hole in the shield was reinforced. She leapt into the ship and allowed the nodes and connectors to attach. The sleek craft backed out, pulled a shard one-eighty, pointed skyward and shot off.

The Narjith cruisers opened fire from orbit. Her rear display showed a mass of destruction as she dodged, weaved and twisted. _Long known fact of space battle; capital ships have a hard time hitting fighters. _She smiled. _Especially with Jedi pilots. _A blast of energy brushed her starboard wing, promptly snapping her back to the task at hand. Her display showed new targets; fighters, and a lot of them.

***

The Yavin 4 night was bathed in a dim orange glow from the gas giant. Blight stood at the apex of the Great Temple. Throughout his training with Lord Kun, his thoughts still drifted to Trasae. _Why? Is the Force trying to tell me something? Could I be on the wrong path?_

"Good evening, Blight." He jumped at the voice. Even in his new body, Exar Kun still moved like a wraith. 

"Lord Kun, you startled me."

"You are losing yourself. You need to retain your focus."

"No, Master, I-"

"_Silence!_" A wave of Dark Side energy threw him across the flat peak. Kun's voice became more menacing than Blight had ever heard it. "Do not think to deceive me, Neca Kre'Na. You would be shocked to find what one can learn from five thousand years of death." He allowed his apprentice to get up before continuing. "I have a task for you." He produced a small device from his cloak. "Go to Zerethsol. These explosives will be enough to level the High Tower."

"The Narjith homeworld? You want me to destroy the Narjith Empire's center of government?"

"And thus the Empire itself."

"How so?"

"Much like the founders of the New Republic, the Narjith's subjects are not happy with their government. They are ruled by fear. If the government collapses, they will revolt." _And the galaxy will be thrown into chaos._

Neca sighed. "Yes, Master. I will leave at once. May I ask what you will be doing?"

"I have not been idle these last thousand years. A plan I have been developing will soon come to fruition."

Neca looked at him quizzically for a moment. Then he turned silently to descend the stone steps. 

A short time after Neca's departure, Kun walked into the hidden depths of the Great Temple. He had found this place first created for Naga Sadow. He had long since mastered all of Sadow's secrets and powers. Turning on the lights, he smiled at all he had found, and especially at that which he had added.

He walked to the mass of machinery in the corner.

"You will be great, my friend. My ultimate triumph. We will change the face of the galaxy."

***

It was so dark. _Trasae…Master…_

***

Kun walked away from the machinery. He had added to it, changing its original form to better serve his needs, but mused that none alive in the galaxies would have recognized it anyway. Its kind had long since been outlawed. _They've never seen a Spaarti cylinder. _

***

Senator Trepik Forthay lounged in his room, watching a news boradcast. 

"The Narjith's conquest of Sentak marks an effective end to the war that began mere days ago. The Alpha Galaxy's third Intergalactic War ended in defeat. In other news, rumors of the elusive Abyss organization still continue to circulate even in these times. It is still unknown who their leader is or where they are based."

Forthay turned off the holopad and allowed the slightest of smiles to play across his face. _They'll never know. Only when it's too late._ He turned in his chair as his attendant walked in. the Narjith had been very agreeable. The young human they'd sent him had proven to be very useful.

"Sir?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"If I may, sir, I wanted to ask you something." 

"Of course."

"There are times, sir, when my senses seem altered. It's as if my perceptions are either more or less real, I'm not certain which. I also occasionally can get a sense of people's feelings and honesty.

Forthay tried to hide his surprise. "You've never lived in the Alpha Galaxy have you?"

"No, sir. I know you are from there, which is why I ask. I thought perhaps it was more common there."

"Allow me, if I may, to give you a permanent assignment. I'd like you to stay on with me. There is much I can teach you."

Idly, he turned the holopad back on.

"Republic Security Forces today announced a reward for the criminal Androth Kel'kar…"


	8. No title

Neca bit back a curse as yet another blaster bolt just barely missed him. His attempts to pass as a Narjith merchant had failed miserably, and he'd paid for it by coming under severe attack. He had only one option left. He turned his fighter relative down and put it into a nosedive straight for Zerethsol's surface. At a reasonable altitude, he ejected along with the explosives, and tried his hardest to look like a corpse. He hit water mere meters away from the land, narrowly avoiding injury from his craft's explosion. 

Surrounding himself with a Sith illusion, he made his way to the main city on the planet, where the High Tower was visibly located. With relative ease, he made his way to the lower levels of the Tower. With a smile, he placed the explosives, and prepared to activate the timer. _Neca!_

That voice…Trasae? Is that you?

Yes it's me! I just came to the edge of the system. I know from your thoughts what your planning, I…Exar Kun?! Alive?!

Yes, dear sister. He is my Master. That is why we needed Solo. He is serving us nicely. As Master Kun's new body.

No! Neca, please don't continue with this! 

I have no choice.

With the push of a button, the timer activated, and a hologram appeared. 

"Hello Blight," Kun's image said, "I believe I forgot to mention something. Once you activated the explosives, an energy field encompassed the tower. I regret not being able to deal out mass destruction, but you've served your purpose and needed to be dealt with. The timer was simply so I could deliver this message. Goodbye."

_Trasae! Yavin 4, Trasae! Please! I-_

Even in space, Trasae saw the flash that marked her brother's death. Her mind still echoed with his last cries through the Force. _Yavin 4…Exar Kun, you will be brought to final justice._

***

At the edge of the system in which Sentak rested appeared a ship larger even than those used by the Narjith. Using the entire massive ship to channel his power, Exar Kun delivered a message to his enemies.

"People of the Republic. Your superficial defeat by the Narjith pales in comparison to what you face. Narjith. By now your beloved High Tower is merely a pile of rubble, as your precious Empire will be within days. All by my hand. I am Exar Kun, the Dark Lord of the Sith! I have watched you all for millennia, and finally the time of my vengeance is at hand. The Republic's sun has set!"

The full fury of his anger focused through the ship, the Dark Lord hurled all of the ships in orbit from space to the surface of the planet below. Reactors and fuel cells detonated in massive explosions that devastated the capital city. And then the final piece of the destructive puzzle, that which dictated his timing. A peaceful, beautiful comet lazily soared just above Sentak's atmosphere. Borrowing a method of the now-legendary invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong, Kun hurled the comet to the planet. It impacted with such explosive force that nearly the entire surface of the planet was affected. 

***

Just before his fiery end, Master Gred regretted not heeding his apprentice's warnings…

***

Kun glared at the planet in evil pleasure. It was time to return home.


	9. No title

And here's the biggest shocker of 'em all

And here's the biggest shocker of 'em all. (Please don't kill me!) And now, the end…

(Note to any squeamish readers-the end gets rather violent…)

Trasae's fighter flickered back into normal space. She focused her senses through the Force, searching for her quarry. _There._ She'd finally found Yavin 4. The small green moon wandered its endless circle around the bulbous orange giant. She recalled the stories of how the Republic's founders destroyed the Empire's greatest weapon from a base there. _But there's such darkness. Kun is certainly there. But there's something that surpasses even him. How can that be? It's…familiar._

The quick little ship shot through the vacuum. The small orb seemed to grow, it's features becoming clearer, more distinct. In moments, she was mere kilometers away from the Great Temple. _It's incredible!_ The fighter smoothly lowered itself into a small clearing in the forest. The connectors detached, and a section of the hull withdrew. 

Trasae pulled herself out, slightly surprised by the heat and humidity of the place. She started off in the general direction of the Great Temple, drawn by the power there. The closer she got, the clearer she sensed that familiar presence. It had a bizarre twinge to it. A sense of madness. The foliage dissipated again and the massive Temple came into view. The setting sun glowed around its edges, and those of a shadowy figure. The outlined features were simple to recognize. _Ran'sot…_ No, she reminded herself. Not anymore.

_"Exar Kun!"_ she yelled to the once-specter. "I challenge you. Come forward and fight!"

"I'd love to, little Jedi," he said as he came out of the temple's shadow. She noticed that she could no longer see Ran'sot's face and a trio of scars marred the unfamiliar countenance. "However, I would not rob my new apprentice of that honor.

"Drath, come here!" From deep within the temple's shadowy passages came a living nightmare. Tall and lanky, almost cadaverously thin, with deathly white skin. Eyes, teeth, and claws as black as the void of space. Hair a shock of intermingling red and gray, and a familiar, yet scarred face. It was dressed in black, Jedi-like attire and hanging by its hip was an old-fashioned, but abnormally long lightsaber. This, she realized was the being that surpassed Kun's evil power.

"You see, young one, Drath here has been looking forward to dueling with you. I think you'll find him quite the challenge."

"What is it?"

"A marvel of genetic manipulation. I took the hosts cells and cloned them, but not just any simple cloning. I also managed to withdraw some of the midichlorians from the host's cells, and used a combination of new technology and old Sith magic to replicate them exponentially, then reinsert them into the cells. With some DNA alteration, the result was a being with unequaled appearance and the greatest power in the Force that the galaxy has ever and will ever see! The name was a simple alteration of previous colleagues, a group of would-be Sith called the Krath."

The seemingly almost-living creature took the hilt of its weapon in both hands, holding it horizontally. It nodded to her. She took her own weapon and activated it. The purple blade burst forth noisily. Drath smiled, revealing his razor-sharp, pointed teeth. He hit two buttons simultaneously. Instantly, and from both sides of the extended cylinder appeared two _black_ lightsaber blades.

"H-how?"

"The weapon itself is a result of my own design," Kun explained, "The coloring is simply an experiment. By saturating the gems and circuitry with Sith magic…well, you see. Enough explanations. Kill her."

The things held its weapon vertically and twirled it in a circle. Before she knew what was happening, the two-bladed weapon flew at her, rotating. She jumped straight up, leg muscles strengthened with the Force. For a split second, the saber stopped where she had been, then launched up at her. She tucked into a somersault, and stuck out her blade to ward off the projectile. 

Drath turned his hand palm-up, and his weapon returned to its master. Trasae landed easily and charged. She pushed her control of the Force to its limit, her speed blinding. She raised her blade and swung it down with all her Force-induced strength…and charred a few blades of grass. Drath dropped from above, firmly planting a kick to the back of her head. Staggering, she tried to lash out, but to no avail. _How can I fight this?_ She looked up and saw her only hope. The forest.

She ran in, engulfed by the darkness, and extinguished her blade. Drath followed confidently, swinging his weapon randomly, cutting down trees, and killing helpless animals. He stopped abruptly, and turned his head to the left. Staring straight at her. _He can't have seen me in these shadows._ He raised his left hand, palm facing her. She wondered what he was doing seconds before the Force directed her actions. She focused the energy of the Force into a defensive shield, just as a blast of red-orange energy shot from Drath's hand. 

The blast nearly overpowered her, even with her Force-shield. The nearby foliage burst into flame. Suddenly, she felt power, such immense power! She thrust out her arm and answered his attack in kind. It caught him off guard and tossed him back into the clearing like a doll. The entirety of the nearby forest began to blaze out of control.

She walked weakly out of the inferno. She felt…empty. _It must have been Dark Side power!_ Whatever its source, it seemed to have done the job. Drath lied at her feet, not moving.

"He's finished Kun," he shouted.

"T-Trasae…" came the weak voice. Neca's voice.

"What the…" _It's Drath! _

"Ah, now you see," Kun gloated, "Yes, I used your foolish brother's genetic material to create the ultimate apprentice."

_Blast it! "Damn you Kun!"_

There was a sudden sound of energy being released. Trasae launched upwards as the black blade cut up at her. She dashed for the temple. In two leaps, she made it to the apex, Drath right on her heels. She spun to face him. "Neca, please don't do this!"

His only response was a mocking laugh. She felt him focusing all of his power in the Force. She felt the fury of his insanity. Too fast to see, he ran to her, and kicked her in the midsection. The power of the attack threw her off the temple. She bounced down the stone steps, bones cracking. At long last, she hit the grass, staining it red. With an animalistic yell, Drath jumped, lightsaber raised above his head. Trasae managed to roll a little, but still felt the blade pierce her shoulder. She tried desperately to thrust away the pain. _I have to destroy him. Now!_

She jumped up in time to block an attack to her right leg. With the other blade, he attacked to her left, and she barely kept up. He spun, back facing her, and repeated the series. Trasae struggled with his ferocity. She swung her blade up and brought it down over his head. He blocked it easily. She tried again, he rotated his weapon and blocked again. 

She drew back to a ready stance, and that was the opening he needed. Finished toying with her, he swung one blade around and thrust hers away from both of them. He spun right and she felt the hot blade pierce her side. To her surprise, he pulled it out and faced her. She dropped to her knees, letting go of her lightsaber. 

"Why are you hesitating?" Kun bellowed, "Destroy her!"

Drath looked between them.

"Neca…please…"

With a horrific fire in his eyes, he swung the right blade horizontally, decapitating her. Before her head could fall, he used the left blade to slice her torso from right shoulder to left hip. The pieces fell in a heap.

"Well done!" Kun praised.

Drath turned to face his Master and glared.

"Don't look at me like that!"

Drath growled, his mind losing itself.

"How dare y-"

Drath raised his hand and another blast of Dark Side energy burst forth. Kun felt the heat the instant before his skin melted and bones shattered to dust. The blast impacted with the Great Temple, overwhelming it. The millennia-old structure disintegrated under the very power it helped focus.

Drath now had nothing. He was trapped, alone, isolated, forever. He felt the great power of the Dark Side boiling up within him, begging for release. He felt the ever-growing madness in his mind taking control. There was no way…there had to be a way…

With one final cry, all the energy and madness was released. A blast of blue flame and he was gone, overwhelmed by the true fury of the Dark Side his creator so sought to master. The Dark energy spread over the entire moon, scarring its surface to a black withered mockery of what it once was. At long last, Yavin 4 knew peace. 


	10. Epilogue

Nothing would grow on Yavin 4 anymore. All plant life was completely decimated. Sentient beings would not dare go near it. The millennia old moon, once filled with life and used as a focal point for the Force, was dead. The charred and cracked surface reflected the mind of its destroyer. Overwhelmed by dark power and insanity, there was no other way. 

Exar Kun, for one, wished there had been. With no time to prepare, no energy to draw on, the destruction of his body meant the final release of his spirit. By clinging to Yavin the first time he died, the Dark Lord managed to remain in contact with the physical universe for five thousand years. Now, though, his long overdue departure into the Force had come.

The Dark Side surrounded him, driving him mad. He struggled to remain intact. It reached for him, pulled him. Swirling, tearing, hate, fear, despair.

_Because of you, the Sith will never die. _The words echoed in his mind. This could not be. _All is lost._ With one final flash of searing pain, the Dark Side consumed its most wretched spawn.


	11. Epilogue 2

From orbit, Trepik Forthay looked at the destruction the Narjith and Exar Kun had left on Sentak in their wake. He'd gotten the unsettling news that every last official on Sentak had died. Also, it seemed that the Narjith's ruling class had been in session when the High Tower had been destroyed. _And now the galaxies are without leaders. Even the Jedi are leaderless, and their numbers are all but insignificant after all of this. The peacemakers and either dead or lost and wandering, and the galaxies are tearing themselves apart, system against system. They need order. They need a leader. The abyss has opened, and the time for renewal has come._ The former senator smiled.

(For those wondering, yes this is purposely left open to a sequel of sorts. I'll get to that one eventually, but I have some other ideas first.)

Thanks To:

Katie

Star Fox

MxPx

Linkin Park

Anyone who put up with my near-constant writing/reading in school.


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